I am and have been a very in-your-face and abrasive person. I prefer brutal honesty to little white lies. If I like you, I'll say so. If you ask for my opinion, I'll give it to you. I wear rude T-shirts.

But the people I admire have manners. I have some, but the sarcasm gets in the way. People I admire can always find something nice to say, or at least deftly change the subject. People I admire know it's Not All About Me.

I am trying. Quietly, because this isn't something one ought to talk about. It's too easy to throw in my face with "I thought you were trying to be nicer!" when I utter something truly cruel. This is just a project to try and keep trying, because no one achieves grace fully, not in this life without impending sainthood, and I am not trying for that.

Grace is more respecting other people's boundaries. Don't touch someone unless they invite it. Don't help the one person who doesn't want to be helped. Help the person who wants to be helped, if I can. Offer of yourself, and take No for an answer without being offended. Accept that I do not know everything, because nobody does. Accept being wrong as a positive learning experience. Be willing to say No when I know I cannot Do.

This does not ever mean I should roll over and let someone kick me. I must still stand for myself and defend those who need defending. I am a strong woman, and this is important to embrace my strength. But there are ways, and there are ways. I can lose my temper and swing at someone, or I can come with a clever comeback, or if the windmill is too large, I can smile and walk away. But I have to let go of the anger if I'm not going to fight.

I am finally learning patience, which is something I never thought I would.

This rather schizophrenic blog was started as a fictional blog, written by a character of a story. I've since taken it over for writing personal stuff I don't mind sharing with anyone who cares.
I am also writing thoughts about writing and stories that move me.

It's just this blog, okay? Some of it is story. Some of it is animals. Some of it is knitting. It's a blog.

For story #1, I do recommend starting from the beginning of this blog if you haven't read this before.
Please start at the beginning.

I did mean it to be for http://www.nanowrimo.org - but I never got quite got it done under the wire.

CAST:
Jeannie is the author/main character.
Frank is her husband. Poor man.
Tony is musician/singer.
Angie is a teenager, who was Jeannie's best friend. Now currently dead.
Honestly, there is no connection between Jeannie and me and Frank and my husband.

Story #2
Frank and Ether. This will be much weirder than Frank and Jeannie. I like the name Frank. No one expects a Frank to lie.

Story #3
A desert story. Anna is the main character. Currently there is only her little brother and an old servant, and a mysterious redhead.

Story #4
The necro story. A young necromancer heads off to the Hated Ones to find her trousseau.